right now on "america this morning" hurricane elsa targets florida, the earliest florida to hit that coastline in generations. the biggest concern plus breaking news. nine people missing at sea and a severe weather hitting the northeast. hundreds of thousands of power outages reported. new this morning, a never before seen view of the florida condo collapse. what we're learning at the site as the death toll climbs once again. panic at the pool. >> we have him upside down, water is spilling out of his mouth. >> okay, hold on. >> please help me. >> a little boy unconscious is pulled from the water by his sister. what happened next. paying more at the supermarket and at the gas pump. a new prediction on where prices are headed.

the new law in one country requiring people to disclose when they photoshop or alter their images on social media. and from the new debate over crac og packaging to something whhea he ies fo wedne morn and good wednesday morning, everyone. i'm zohreen shah. mona is off. >> i'm andrew dymburt, and we begin with brecking news, hurricane elsa just downgraded overnight to a tropical storm. it's taken aim at the west coast of florida right now with flooding rains and a dangerous storm surge. landfall is expected soon and it comes as the coast guard searches for nine missing people at sea during the storm. this morning, elsa is barreling over the gulf of mexico just hours away from expected landfall along florida's west coast. boats in downtown st. petersburg

overnight rocking in the howling wind. the eye is staying off the coast for now. but it's unleashing heavy rain and 70-mile-per-hour winds on land. conditions worsened quickly in st. petersburg tuesday, this >> they say it's going to be close to three foot so do the best we can. >> reporter: the storm coming early in hurricane season. it has not seen a landfall in july in 134 years. elsa is set to hit tampa where 6 to 10 inches are expected along with up to five feet of storm surge. >> why this is a big deal, you have so many buildings. such a huge population, low lying. you've had sea level rise of late. stding along floods regularly even in a bad thunderstorm so we do anticipate that that will be covered in water in parts of tampa. >> reporter: 200 members of

florida's national guard on standby. tourist attractions are closed and tampa's airport has suspended operations until later this morning and now a search and rescue operation is under way in the rough waters off key west. the coast guard tweeting these dramatic images showing rescuers saving 15 people after a cargo ship spotted the group in the water. the coast guard says it believes nine people were still missing overnight. elsa is expected to move into southern georgia where a state of emergency has been declared. we'll take a closer look at your forecast in just awe few minutes. severe weather also slammed the northeast. about 200,000 power outages were reported from pennsylvania to massachusetts. winds up to 60 miles per hour brought down trees and power lines and sent debris flying off apartment buildings in new york city. some minor damage is reported. a far more serious situation in philadelphia where a worker was killed when a large crane toppled over. the cause of that crash is under investigation. u.s. intelligence agencies have issued a new warning about russia launching cyberattacks

targeting american companies. federal agencies call it a brute force attack by the russians to gain access to cloud computing systems in the west. a russian based hacking group has already claimed responsibility for an ongoing ransomware attack. president biden has said the u.s. would respond if future cyberattacks are linked to russia. he's holding a meeting on the issue today's white house. the delta variant is now the dominant coronavirus strain in the country accounting for more than half of all new cases.' 125 people tested positive for covid at a church summer camp in texas. several of those cases are the delta variant. president biden has unveiled plans to boost covid vaccinations including a door-to-door outreach program. >> but our fight against this virus is not over. right now as i speak to you, millions of americans are still unvaccinated and unprotected, and because of that, their communities are at risk. their friends are at risk. the people they care about are at risk. this is an even bigger concern

because of the delta variant. >> a new study claims the pfizer vaccine is 64% effective in preventing infection from the delta variant but remains 94% effective against serious illness. let's turn now to surfside, florida, the condo collapse gai and now for the first time we're getting an up close look at the site. abc's elizabeth schulze is here with more. elizabeth, good morning. >> reporter: hey, good morning, andrew. well, in the days after the collapse rescue workers had hoped to find air pockets where survivors could be trapped but now they acknowledge they're just not finding any positive signs. this morning rescuers at the collapsed condo in south florida sound increasingly somber about finding anyone alive. >> unfortunately, we're not seeing anything positive. that continues in that sense. the key things we're looking for all throughout in regards to voice space, livable spaces, you know, we're not coming across that. >> reporter: nearly two weeks after the collapse in surfside,

for. the mayor says they've now confirmed 70 of those people were inside the building when it collse it comes as officials give 30-foot pile of shattered concrete and twisted steel spanning about half the length of a football field. >> you can see this mountain of rubble here behind me. crews are working on it right now. they did have to take some pause, though, because of the bad weather and some lightning delays. >> reporter: the debris is now beak sorted at a nearby warehouse for potential evidence in the investigation. >> we're in a search and rescue mode. it's an active investigation, and we're focused right now, our primary goal right now is to bring closure to the family. >> reporter: no one has been rescued alive since the first hours after the collapse. on tuesday, seven of the victims including the guarra family were laid to rest. >> we know that they're never

going to be apart. >> reporter: later today a nonprofit raising money for the victims and their families will announce how many millions of dollars will be distributed. andrew. >> elizabeth, thank you. new york's governor has declared a first in the nation gun violence emergency due to a surge in shootings. he says gun violence should be treated as a public health issue. he's pledging nearly $140 million to the effort. the emergency order clears the way for money and resources to quickly reach communities impacted by gun violence. in chicago more than 100 people were shot over the weekend. 18 were killed. chicago's top cop places some of the blame for the city's violent crime on the court system. >> there are too many violent offenders and too little consequences in our courts. there are too many illegal guns in our city and too little consequences in the courts. >> a top judge in the city

responded to those comments saying research shows that reforms made to the bail system have not led to more crime and have made the system more equitable. a newly released 911 call is revealing the chaotic moment a family saved a boy from drowning. police say the 2-year-old wandered into the family's pool out side boston. that's when his 11-year-old sister jumped into action pulling him from the water. a 911 operator helped the boy's uncle perform cpr. >> you're going to blow two regular breaths into his lungs about one second. i want you to do that. >> okay. ready? >> oh, is he crying? >> he's starting to cry. >> good. that's good. that's good. >> reporter: the boy is expected to make a full recovery. and time now for a look at your wednesday weather. good morning. elsa making landfall this wednesday morning north of tampa in florida's big bend as a strong tropical storm or a

category 1 hurricane. we're going to have winds of 60 to 80 miles an hour north of st. petersburg, 40 to 60 miles an hour for the rest of the east coast and the storm surge warning, 3 to 6 feet for cedar key and the clearwater tampa area. 4 to 8 inches of rain is what you can expect for much of florida and south georgia then the effects will be felt towards new york and southern new england. i'm accuweather meteorologist kevin coskren. coming up, prices on the rise at the supermarket. but first what we're learning about this massive neighborhood explosion caught on camera. and the top american sprinter who tested positive for marijuana is now officially off the olympic team. her reaction this morning.

back now with a house

destroyed by a propane explosion in western michigan. no one was hurt but it could have been a lot worse. a newspaper deliveryman helped get the family inside to safety. neighbors thought the sound was fireworks, but it was a 100-pound propane tank in the garage. in a new prediction this morning on where gas prices are headed, because of rising crude oil costs, experts say gas prices could rise another 20 cents this summer. prices have already increased 40% since the start of the year. prices at the supermarket are also going up. supermarkets are now stockpiling more products due to concern about inflation getting worse. the cost of some pork products like bacon are up 14% from last year. milk prices are up 8%. we turn now to the american sprinting sensation who ran her way to the top but now won't be competing at the olympics. the official decision coming days after she admitted using marijuana. now her story is igniting fierce debate.

>> going to tokyo. >> reporter: this morning fans and critics alike now reacting to the news that the fastest woman in america, sha'carri richardson, will not compete in the tokyo olympics. >> i am an olympian, a dream since i've been young. >> reporter: richardson tested positive for marijuana last week earning her a 30-day suspension and invalue dating her win at the trials. 4x100 meter team, athletes don't need to qualify. instead they're selected by officials from usa track and field but in a statement the organization explained why it did not select richardson saying, athletes are equally aware of and must adhere to the current anti-doping code, and our credibility would be lost if rules were only enforced under certain circumstances. >> i know what i did. i know what i'm supposed to do. >> reporter: richardson says she used marijuana after learning of her mother's death. >> i put on a face and had to go in front of the world and put on a face and hide my pain.

>> reporter: her suspension has ignited debate over whether marijuana should be a banned substance with many arguing it does not include athletic performance. >> marijuana is not a performance-enhancing drug. >> reporter: others pointing to the growing number of states in which marijuana is legal including oregon, the state where the olympic trials were held. in its statement usa track and field seemed to acknowledge the changing times saying, the merit of the world anti-doping agency rules should be re-evaluated. richardson in a now deleted tweet ex-blessing her frustration posting, athletes that haven't and will never beat me have a lot to say about or surrounding my situation when most of them have said nothing to me showing their characters. one other frustrating fact for her 30-day suspension will be over before the relay event in tokyo. coming up, new research on whether a four-day workweek is

really beneficial for companies. also ahead, the bear attack at the park caught on came people everywhere living with type 2 diabetes are waking up to what's possible with rybelsus®. ♪ you are my sunshine ♪ ♪ my only sunshine... ♪ rybelsus® works differently than any other diabetes pill to lower blood sugar in all 3 of these ways... increases insulin... decreases sugar... and slows food. the majority of people taking rybelsus® lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c of less than 7. people taking rybelsus® lost up to 8 pounds. rybelsus® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. don't take rybelsus® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop rybelsus® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis.

tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking rybelsus® with a sulfonylurea or insulin increases low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration which may worsen kidney problems. wake up to what's possible with rybelsus®. ♪ please don't take my sunshine away ♪ you may pay as little as $10 per prescription. ask your healthcare provider about rybelsus® today.

don't settle. start your day with secret. secret stops odor- causing sweat 3x more. and the provitamin b5 formula is gentle on skin. with secret, outlast anything. no sweat. secret. all strength. no sweat. back now with thieves ransacking a neiman-marcus store during this midday heist in san francisco. the ten suspects making off with high-priced handbags. the robbery prompting more concerns about crime in the bay area. a surge forced walgreens and target to shut down stores or reduce hours. shoplifted from the same ly -

walgreens on four consecutive days. businesses want more help from law enforcement. witnesses are describing the terrifying moment a bear cub attacked people watching fireworks at a park in los angeles county. it happened on mt. wilson. the bear nipped one man on his backside then went after food inside a bag. >> i grabbed the chair and tried to hit the bear so he wouldn't go after the guy again. that was a small bear, so i was more focused, where is mama bear? >> experts say animal encounters are on the rise because humans are expanding into previously wild areas. they also believe drought conditions are forcing animals closer to water sources. in western montana wildlife officials are searching for a grizzly bear that killed a woman before dawn tuesday at the campsite in the town of ovando. local campsites are now closed. a teenager nearly killed by a shark is showing his toughness and his determination. he's using his ordeal to help others overcome their fears. here's abc's megan tevrizian. this morning, a lesson of

resilience from a boy who survived being mauled by a great white shark. >> a lifeguard who came, he was like, yeah, i can see your lungs like through your back. >> reporter: 16-year-old keane hayes now vowing to swim in the same ocean where he nearly decided for 301 days this year. a number he chose at random but one he hopes to exceed. >> i think we're on day 170. >> reporter: in 2018 hayes was attacked by a great white in san diego while lobster diving with a friend. he struggled to swim to a nearby kayak and was airlifted to the hospital. the attack so severe he needed several surgeries and about 1,000 stitches. a few weeks after the attack the then 13-year-old described his ordeal on "good morning america." >> i come up, and my mask is off, i'm all confused and i look over, my wet suit is all ripped upand bloois staino into t water. r hayeelng peoe get over their fears volunteering to help amputees alongside another shark attack

survivor, bethany hamilton. >> it's like i can't describe it. it's just so much fun and feels good to help them. >> reporter: but while he's able to face the ocean on a near daily basis, his mom is still emotional. >> i haven't been down to that beach yet. it's hard, you know. i almost lost my child here. >> reporter: while hayes has faced remarkable challenges, he remains hopeful and grateful. >> the doctors and the physical therapists, you know, all of them put in a lot of work to even be able for me to walk down and carry the board with my arm so i'm really thankful. >> on the third anniversary of the shark attack this september, hayes plans to surf with some people who saved his life. andrew, zohreen. >> megan, thank you. bt the bucks in game one of the nba finals last night. the final score was 118-105, and game two is tomorrow night. coming up, what we never knew about ritz crackers.

also ahead staying on the food theme, a new way and new push on the way hot dogs are push on the way hot dogs are sold. after my dvt blood clot... i was uncertain... was another around the corner? or could things take a different turn? i wanted to help protect myself. my doctor recommended eliquis. eliquis is proven to treat and help prevent another dvt or pe blood clot. almost 98 percent of patients on eliquis didn't experience another. ...and eliquis has significantly less major bleeding than the standard treatment. eliquis is fda-approved and has both. don't stop eliquis unless your doctor tells you to. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. if you had a spinal injection while on eliquis call your doctor right away if you have tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness. while taking eliquis, you may bruise more easily... and it may take longer than usual for bleeding to stop. seek immediate medical care for sudden signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. eliquis may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical

or dental procedures. ask your doctor about eliquis. it's very common to have both sensitivity and gum issues. or dental procedures. dentists and hygienists will want to recommend sensodyne sensitivity and gum. you get the sensitivity relief as well as improved gum health all in one. truthfully, it's frustrating to see how fast dust reappears. but dusting with a cloth is a pain. and dealing with a bulky vacuum.. . is such a hassle. uchhh!!! so now we use our swiffer sweeper and dusters. the fluffy fibers? they pick up dust easily. grabbing it in all those hard-to-reach places. gotcha!!! and for our floors, sweeper's textured cloths lock all kinds of dirt, dust and pet hair. unlike my vacuum, it sneaks under and around places. look at that!! dust free and hassle free. stop cleaning and start swiffering. cranky-pated: a bad mood related to a sluggish gut. miralax is different. it works naturally with the water in your body

to unblock your gut. free your gut, and your mood will follow. we begin with evidence that less is more. when it comes to work. boss pay attention. >> touting the benefits of a four day workweek. a shorter workweek for the same pay was an overwhelming success. looking at 2,500 workers. and they reported less stress. and productivity did not suffer. in some cases it improved. >> i believe it. >> next. reaction is pouring in after one country passed a law regarding pictures on social media.

>> if you alter or photo shop without disclosing it. you could go to jail. a law in norway. will be classified similar to advertisers. >> a added. if it alters physical features. >> the problem is hot dogs and buns don't come packaged in equal numbers. it launched a petition. calling for ten hot dogs and ten buns in every pack. quite a new question about ritz crackers. >> we can thank tiktok. in a new video rets revealed why they have ridges. for cutting cheese. >> they later admitted they made it up. we may never know what the ridges are for. >> a new world record built of sand. the sand castle of all sand castles. >> 69 foot high castle built for a festival in denmark.

broke the world what can i du with less asthma? with dupixent, i can du more....beginners' yoga. namaste... ...s...for 3!...ies. ...so i can du more of the things i love. dupixent is not for sudden breathing problems. it's an add-on-treatment for specific types of moderate-to-severe asthma that can improve lung function for better breathing in as little as two weeks. and can reduce, or even eliminate, oral steroids. and here's something important. dupixent can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. get help right away if you have rash, shortness of breath, chest pain, tingling or numbness in your limbs. tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection, and don't change or stop your asthma treatments, including steroids, without talking to your doctor. are you ready to du more with less asthma? just ask your asthma specialist about dupixent.

♪ why do you build me up ♪ ♪ and mess me around and then ♪ ♪ worst of all ♪ ♪ you never call ♪ baby daydreaming again? but i love you still you know i'm driving, right? i do. ♪ buttercup baby just to let me down ♪ if you ride, you get it. geico motorcycle. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more. don't settle for products that give you a sort of white smile. try new crest whitening emulsions for 100% whiter teeth. its highly active peroxide droplets swipe on in seconds. better. faster. 100% whiter teeth. crestwhitesmile.com

this unplugged device is protecting our beautiful coastlines and more. put off chores and use less energy from 4 to 9 pm

to help keep our state golden. i'm so glad you're ok, sgt. houston. this is sam with usaa. do you see the tow truck? yes, thank you, that was fast. sgt. houston never expected this to happen. or that her grandpa's dog tags would be left behind. but that one call got her a tow and rental... ...paid her claim... ...and we even pulled a few strings. making it easy to make things right: that's what we're made for. usaa. what you're made of, we're made for. get a quote today.

building a better bay area, moving forward, finding

solutions. this is abc 7 news. >> elsa bringing heavy rain and high winds we are tracking this tropical storm. >> gunshots and fireworks. new video showing a very chaotic fourth of july seen. >> a new study about a shorter work week. researchers compare how employees do during four days instead of five. >> tell us what we don't know. >> welcome to wednesday, july 7. you are watching abc 7 mornings . >> we want to start with a look at our forecast with mike. >> that would make today like thursday eve. let's take a look at what is going on outside. we have the breezes out there. and onshore breeze made for comfortable sleeping. it is gusty. 12 at hayward, 14 at concord,

36